Slab floor or roof construction



May 30, 1933. H, E, MARKS j 1,912,290

SLAB FLOOR OR ROOF CONSTRUCTION Original Filed May 14, 1928 Fig iINVENTOR x. /"/E/?B EET E MFIEKS.

Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT E. MAB-KS, OFSEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASS-IGNOB T UNITED STATES GYPSUM COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS 'SLAB FLOOR OR ROOFCONSTRUCTION Original application filed Kay 14, 1928, Serial No.277,425. Divided and this application filed October 14,

1982. Serial No. 687,702. v

This invention relates to slab floors orroofs of the type used infireproof apartments, hotels, office buildings, factories, and the llke,in which slabs rest upon the tops of floor beams or roof purlinshereinafter referred to collectively as beams. I

In floors and roofs of this type consjderae ble difficulty has beenencountered by reason of the relatively small bearings afforded by thetops of the beams for the ends of the slabs. The tops of the beams areso small that, even when the slabs are of exact size and the beamsaccurately positioned and straight from end to end, there is no excessbearing surface for the ends of the slabs. But these conditions do notprevail in practice. Not infrequently the slabs are of irregular size,the beams are not accurately positioned, and they are not straight fromend to end. Under these practical conditions inadequate bearing supportis afforded for the ends of many slabs. The slabs are often not properlyreinforced at their edges and the edges are subject to chipping anddamage during shipment and erection.

An object of this invention is to provide a floor or roof of the typedescribed in which provision is made for adequately supporting all ofthe slabs regardless of the customary irregularities met in practice,and also to provide a floor or roof of this type in which the slabs maybe connected to each other to form a continuous structure, and in whichthe slabs may be connected to their supporting beams to tie the lattertogether.

Another object of the invention isto provide a gypsum slab with edgesencased in metal channels so that the slab edges are properly reinforcedand are not subject to damage during shipment and erection; also toimprove building constructions in other respects hereinafter specifiedand claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawing, forming a part ofthis specification, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of my improved floorslabs,

' Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through the slabs taken on line 22 ofFig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through a special tie rods between thebeams. space above the tops of the beams and befloor constructed by theuse of my improved floor slab, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the ranged on the beams that theprojecting ends of the bars of the slab in one bay are offset withrelation to those of adjacent bays, rendering the full width of the topflanges of the beams available for supporting each slab. The projectingends of the bars may be, and preferably are, connected to the tops ofthe beams to tie them together and thus avoid the necessity of providingIn the tween the adjacent ends of the slabs, filler bodies ofcementitious material are poured.

Edge bars 10 are preferably in the form of channel strips havingvertical webs 11, upper flanges 12, and lower flanges 13. A slab 14: ofcementitious material, such as gypsum, is formed between the bars 10with the outer faces of the flanges l2 and 13 lying in the plane of thefaces of the slab 14. The flanges 12 and 13 preferably extend inwardlytoward the center of the slab so that the backs or edges of the webs 11can be arranged in closely abutting relation as seen in Fig. 2, littleor no grouting material being needed between such channel bars. The endsof the channel bars 10 extend substantially beyond the ends of the slab14,

so that such bar ends rest on top of the upare offset with relation tothose of the adjacent bay, the top flanges 15 of the beam 16 thus beingavailable for supporting each slab over the full length of theprojecting ends 17 of the bars 10. It will be seen that the channel bars10 form edge facings and reinforcements for the slab 14 so as to addsubstantially to the longitudinal strength of said slab and also toprotect the edges of the slab against chipping during shipment anderection. By reason of the fact that the outer faces of'flanges 12 and13 lie in the plane of the bases of the slab 14, the bar flanges 13 restdirectly upon the beam flanges 15, with a metal to metal cont-act, whilethe ends of the slabs 14 also partly rest upon the beam flange 15 andform a grouting space for the reception of a poured, cementitiousgrouting material 18. By reason of the full bearing of the ends 17 ofchannel bars 10 on the beam flanges 15, the slabs are adequatelysupported regardless of irregularity in sizes and in the positions orspacings of the beams 16, such as prevail in practice. When the slabs 14are formed of gypsum, or cinder concrete, facing materials such as upperplates, boards, or sheets of heat insulating or waterproofing material19 may be nailed directly to the upper faces of the slabs 14 aftererection, while similar facing sheets 20 may be nailed to the lowerfaces of the slabs 14.

The channel bars 10 are preferably anchored to-the slabs 14 by bars 21which extend between the channel webs 11 and may be secured in anysuitable way to the inner faces of said webs 11, such as by turning theends of the bars upwardly to form flanges 22, which can .then be weldeddirectly to the inner faces of the webs 11 prior to pouring the slabs14. The connecting bars 21 thus form a substantial transversereinforcement for the slabs 14, and a longitudinal reinforcing mat ofreinforcing bars 24 may be laid on top of the bars 21 prior to castingof the slab 14, the ends 25 of the bars 24 preferably extending beyondthe ends of the slab 14, a distance substantially equal to the length ofthe projecting channel ends 17. Cross rods 26 welded across thelongitudinal bars 24 serve to position the longitudinal bars 24 inspaced relation, and one of the cross bars 26 preferably extends intothe space between adjoining slab ends so that the grouting material 18embeds the ends 25 of rods 24 and cross rods 26, to lock the slabstogether into a monolithic construction. The lower channel flanges13-are preferably welded to the tops of the beam flanges 15 to insure arigid and rugged building construction.

I would state in conclusion, that while the illustrated exampleconstitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not wish tolimit myself precisely to these details, since manifestly, the same maybe considerably varied without departing from the spirit of theinvention as defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A pre-formed building slab for buildingconstructions, comprising a body of gypsum, channel bars formingsupports and edge facings for two opposite sides of said slab, theflanges of said channel bars extending inwardly of the slab and havingthe outer surfaces of said flanges lying substantially flush with theouter faces of said slab, the webs of said channel bars beingsubstantiall y smooth so that the channel bars of adj oin- 1ng slabs canbe arranged with the webs thereof in closely abutting relation, andmetallic, reinforcing members embedded in said ilab and extendingbetween said channel ars.

2. In a floor construction. a plurality of pre-formed gypsum buildingslabs arranged in a plane, a pair of channel bars having inwardly turnedflanges in the planes of the slab surfaces and forming edge facings foropposite edges of each of said slabs, the outer surfaces of the webs ofsaid channel bars being substantially smooth, the webs of adjoiningchannel bars lying in closely abutting relation, reinforcing membersembedded in each slab. between said channel members, and means forsupporting said slabs.

3. A pre-formed building slab for building constructions, comprising abody of gypsum, channel bars forming supports and edge faeings for twoopposite sides of said slab, the flanges of said channel bars extendinginwardly of the slab and having the outer surfaces of said flanges lyingsubstantially flush with the outer faces of said slab, the webs of saidchannel bars being substantially smooth so that the channel bars of adjoining slabs can be arranged with the webs thereof in closely abuttingrelation, and metallic, reinforcing members embedded in said slab andextending between said channel bars, said reinforcing members, beingattached to the inner faces of the webs of said channel barsintermediate said flanges.

4. A p're-formed building slab for building construction, comprising abody of gypsum, channel bars forming edge facing for two opposite sidesof the slab, the flanges of said channel bars lying inthe planes of theslab surfaces and extending inwardly of the slab, and reinforcing meansembedded in said slab and extending between said channel bars, saidreinforcing means being attached adjacent the inner fact of said channelbars intermediate said flanges.

5. A pre-formed building slab for building construction, comprising abody of gypsum, channel-shaped bars forming supports and edge facing fortwo opposite sides of said slab, the flanges of said bar's lying in theplanes of the slab surfaces and extendin inwardly of the slab so thatthe bars of ad oining slabs can be arranged with the webs therebars andanchoring the same against displacement and reinforcing said slab.

6. A pre-formed, elongated, building slab for building constructions,comprising a body of gypsum, channel bars forming edge facing for thetwo longitudinal, opposite edges of said slab, said bars having webs ofa character to permit the edges of adjoining slabs to lie in closelyabutting relation, said bars having inturned flanges at least partlyembedded in said slab and lying flush with the outer faces of said slab,and a metallic reinforcing member embedded in said slab and extendingbetween the webs of said channel bars so as to reinforce said slabtransversely of said channel bars, said bars serving to reinforce saidslab-longitudinally thereof when said slab is supported by supportingstructural members.

7. A slab floor or roof, comprising a plurality of spaced beams havingupper, outstanding flanges, pre-formed slabs extending between saidbeams, channel bars forming re-' inforcing supports and edge facings fortwo opposite edges of each slab, the ends of said channel bars extendingsubstantially beyond the ends of said slabs and resting directly on saidbeam flanges, the webs of the channel bars of adjoining slabs lying inclosely abutting relation, and grouting material formed above said beamflanges in the space between the ends of said slabs.

8. A slab floor or roof, comprising a plurality of spaced beams havingupper, outstanding flanges, pre-formed slabs extending between saidbeams, channel bars forming reinforcing supports and edge facings fortwo opposite edges of each slab, the webs of the channel bars ofadjoining slabs lying in closely abutting relation, reinforcing membersconnecting said channels and embedded in the slab, the ends of saidchannel bars and said reinforcing members extending substantially beyondthe ends of said slabs above said beam flanges, and grouting materialformed above said beam flanges and around the ends of :said channel barsand reinforcing members.

9. A slab floor or roof, comprising a plurality of spaced beams havingupper, outstanding flanges, pre-formed slabs extending between saidflanges, channel bars forming reinforcing supports and edge facings fortwo opposite edges of each slab, the webs of the channel bars ofadjoining slabs lying in closely abutting relation, the ends of saidchannel bars extending substantially beyond the ends of the slabs andsupported on said beam flanges, grouting material formed above said beamflanges in the space between the ends of said slabs, and a facingmaterial secured to one face of said slabs.

10. A slab floor or roof, comprising a plurality of spaced beams havingupper, outstanding flanges, pre-formed slabs extending between saidbeams, channel bars forming reinforcing supports and edge facings fortwo opposite ed es of each slab, the ends of said channel ars extendingsubstantialliy beyond the ends of saidslabs and resting lrectly on saidbeam flanges, and grouting material formed above said beam flanges inthe space between the ends of said slabs. 11. A pre-formed building slabfor buildmg constructions, comprising a body of gypsum, channel barsforming supports and edge relnforcements for two opposite sides of saidslab, the flanges of said channel bars extending inwardly of the slaband having the outer surfaces of said flanges lying substantially flushwith the outer faces of said tending between said beams, and channelbars forming reinforcing supports and edge facings for two oppositeedges of each slab, the ends of said channel bars extendingsubstantially beyond the ends of said slabs and resting directly on saidbeams, the webs of the channel bars of adjoining slabs lying in closelyabutting relation.

14. A slab floor or roof, comprising a plus rality of spaced beams,prev-formed slabs extending between said beams, and channel bars formingreinforcing supports and ed e facings for two opposite edges of each slathe webs of the channel bars of adjoining slabs lying in closelyabutting relation, reinforcing members connecting said channels andembedded in the slab, the ends of said channel bars and said reinforcingmembers extending substantially beyond the ends of said slabs above saidbeams.

15. A slab floor or roof, comprising a plurality of spaced beams,pre-formed slabs extending between said flanges, channel bars formingreinforcing supports and edge facings for two opposite edges of eachslab, the Webs of the channel bars of adjoining slabs lying in closelyabutting relation, the ends of said channel bars extending substantiallybeyond the ends of the slabs and supported on said beams, and a facingmaterial secured to one face of said slabs.

16. A preformed building slab for building constructions comprising abody of gyp- 5 sum, metallic members formlng supports and edgereenforcements for two opposite sides of said slab, said metallicmembers having portions extending inwardly of the slab, the outersurfaces of said portions lying subsfalntially flush with the outerfaces of said s a I 17. In a floor'or roof construction, a plurality ofpreformed gypsum slabs arranged in a plane, a pair of metallic membersforming supports and edge reenforcements for two opposite edges of eachof said slabs, said metallic members having inwardly turned portions inthe planes of the slab surfaces, the adjacent surfaces of adjoiningmetallic members lying in closely abutting relation,

and means for supporting said slabs.

HERBERT E. MARKS.

